Draft Final Report

Seismic Interpretation and Prospects Generation

Study
Western Area of Block 8
Sudan

for
White Nile (5B) Petroleum Operating Company
Ltd

:by
Sudapet-Tokamak
December 2008

Contents
1.ExecutiveSummary
2.RegionalSetting
3.SeismicDataInterpretation
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4

DataCollection,LoadingandQC
SeismicHorizonCalibration
SeismicDataInterpretation
StructuralMapping
3.4.1.
3.4.2.

TimeStructuralMapping
Velocity Analysis and T-DConversion

3.5 SeismicAttributesAnalysis

4.ProspectsEvaluation
4.1 StructuralFramework
4.2 SequenceStratigraphyandSedimentation
4.3 StructuralRestoration
4.4 TimingofOilGenerationandAccumulation
4.5 DryHolePostmortem
4.6 ProspectRiskAnalysis
4.7 ProspectResourceEstimations
4.8 ProspectsRanking

5.ConclusionsandRecommendations
6.AppendicesandEnclosures(ResourcesTablesand
StructuralMaps)

Acknowledgement
Sudapet/TokamakTeamacknowledgesWhite Nile Petroleum Operating Co.
.forentrustingtheteamwiththisimportantproject

1.

Executive Summary

Block-8 is located about 200 Km south east of Khartoum and it covers an

area of approximately 60,000 Km2 with a ground elevation of about 400m.
Most of the Block is covered by Tertiary-Quaternary sediments with
Precambrian Basement outcrops in the southwestern part of the concession
(Fig. 2). The Blue Nile Basin lies in the middle part of Block 8. Total of six
wells have been drilled in this Block. Although no commercial hydrocarbons
have been discovered, varying quantities and qualities of hydrocarbon shows
have been encountered in all the wells suggesting presence of an active
petroleum system in the Blue Nile Basin.
Dinder-1 well has tested a Basin-center anticline and tested a limited amount
of oil. Hosan-1 in the eastern margin encountered 16 m gas pay which tested
appreciable amount of gas with possible underlying liquid hydrocarbon.
These indications suggest presence of a mature source rock in the Basin. The
western slope is a gentle slope and will be a most likely route for liquid
hydrocarbon generated in the Basin center. With this concept in mind the
focus of this study was in the western slope, especially after the most westerly
well West Dinder-1 has encountered what was indicated to be live liquid
hydrocarbon. This study focuses on the seismic interpretation and prospects
generation of the western slope of the Blue Nile Basin. The area of interest is
shown in Fig. 1.
The seismic data in this area comprises many vintages ranging from data
acquired by Chevron in the eighties to the most recent 2007 data acquired by

WNPOC. All these vintages were loaded and checked for any possible misstie. Horizon tie was carried out using the well data. Interpretation of
Basement horizon was carried out and has revealed the structural setting of
the Blue Nile Basin. This has formed the basis for the interpretation of the
shallower horizons. Time structural maps were generated for Basement, Blue
Nile, Dinder III, Dinder II and Dinder I horizons. Velocity analysis was
carried out using the Pre-stack Time Migration (PSTM) velocities and the
well check shot surveys. Time to depth conversion was carried out and depth
structural maps were generated. In addition to the seismic interpretation, a
sequence stratigraphic analysis was carried out using the limited available
data. A one dimensional geochemical modeling was also carried out utilizing
structural restoration along one of the regional seismic lines and geochemical
and temperature data from the surrounding wells. Results of the sequence
stratigraphic and the geochemical modeling analysis were incorporated in the
prospects evaluation. Four prospects were identified in the area of interest;
one of them was matured by the study team into a drilling candidate and is
currently being drilled. Speculative resources were calculated for these four
prospects using deterministic and probabilistic methods independently.
Results of both methods are included in this report and details of the
probabilistic method results are also included as an attachment. The most
likely speculative resources based on the deterministic method are 56.32
MMBBLS with a Risked Resources estimated at 12.4 MMBBLS.
The study concludes that Block 8 has an active petroleum system and it
requires careful planning for exploring different play types.
Based on observation of anomalously high gas readings in many wells in the
Block, a preliminary assessment of potential shale gas was made using
analogy with the trendy shale gas and tight gas plays from different parts of
the world. This preliminary assessment suggests that the eastern part of Block

8 could be a possible target for potential shale gas and tight sand gas plays.
Detailed investigation has been recommended.

RegionalSetting

2.
2.1

Location and Introduction:

Block8isalargeBlockintheeasternpartofSudan,Itislocated200Km
southeastofKhartoumandcoversanareaof61,205Km 2.BlueNileBasin
extendsoverthecentralpartofthisBlock.Theareaofinterestforthisstudy
islocatedinthecentralpartoftheBlueNileBasin.Thestudyhasfocused
on the western slope of the Basin due to the recent good hydrocarbon
indicationsthathavebeenrevealedbydrilling.Figure1showsthelocation
ofBlock8concessionareaintheSudanconcessionmapandalsoshowsthe
areaofinterestforthisstudy.Block8contractareaiscurrentlyoperatedby
WhiteNilePetroleumOperatingCompanyforaconsortiumpartnershipthat
includes PETRONAS Carigali Overseas Berhard (PCOSB) with 77%,
SudanesePetroleumCorporation(SUDAPET)with15%andHiTechwith
8%.ChevronhascarriedoutExplorationactivityinthisBlockintheearly
eighties. It has acquired geophysical data and has drilled one wildcat
Exploration well; Dinder1 which has encountered gas and oil shows.
Dinder1testhasrecoveredasmallamountofoil.WhiteNilePetroleum
OperatingCo.Ltd(WNPOC)hasassumedoperatorshipofthisBlockon
28thAugust2003.SincethenithasbeenactivelyexploringthisBlockand
has acquired additional significant geophysical data including surface
geology,aerogravity,andseismicdata.IthasdrilledFive(5)exploration
wells.Thesearenamely;Hosan1,Jauhara1,Farasha1WestDinder1,and
Namel1. The sixth well (Tawakul1) has been recommended by
Sudapet/TokamakTeambasedontheinterpretationresultsofthisstudyand
iscurrentlybeingdrilled.Allofthefivewellshaveencounteredvariable
quantitiesandqualitiesofhydrocarbonshowmostlydepictedbyhighgas
readingandsomeoilshowsincuttings.Hosan1hasencounteredagaszone
6

of 16 m which has been subsequently tested and confirmed presence of

hydrocarbongas.